A BEAUTY PLATING LESSON BY CHEF LUCA ZANGA

LUCA ZANGA

Luca Zanga has been a chef at Academia Barilla since 2010. He started his professional training in 1994, when he graduated from the Istituto Alberghiero Mellerio Rosmini, a catering college in Domodossola. This marked the beginning of his growth phase, which, at first saw him gain experience in restaurant kitchens in his native region, and then further afield in the Island of Elba, Rome and Sestriere. These experiences have allowed him to learn new techniques and discover new ingredients and different approaches to cooking, and have given him the chance to gain the valuable cultural background that he brings back with him every time he returns home, an area known for its three beautiful lakes.

Luca is a young man who loves to observe, learns carefully, tries and experiments. Luca never stops and continues to gain experience in restaurants overlooking Lake Mergozzo and Lake Orta where, in 1997, but also later in 1999, he worked alongside Michelin-starred chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo, and had the pleasure and honour of seeing Villa Crespi being born.

MEZZE MANICHE WITH BORLOTTI BEANS, CITRUS FRUITS AND PINK PEPPER
CHEFā€™S TIPS

This recipe is a complete dish from a nutritional point of view, with perfectly balanced contrasting flavours that create an interesting combination thanks to the acidic notes of citrus fruits and the sweetness of Borlotti bean cream.

To add a greater variety of colours to the recipe, and to dish it out in an even more unique way, the chef recommends using small triangles of dried citrus fruits. They are really easy to make: cut the citrus fruits into thin slices, then cut them into triangles, place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and cook at 60 Ā°C for about an hour until they have dried.

For serving, the chef recommends using a flat plate, preferably white or with shades recalling those of the sand and earth.

Preparazione

ALT
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS

12.3 oz Barilla Mezze Maniche pasta
3.5 oz dry Borlotti beans
1 onion
1 celery stalk
n. 1 grapefruit
n. 1 orange
n. 1 lime
1.05 oz capers
2 cloves of garlic
dill to taste
extra virgin olive oil as needed
salt to taste
0.7 oz pink pepper

Phase 1
Put the beans in water and leave to soak overnight. Cook the beans in water for about 40 minutes, adding the onion, celery and 2 cloves of garlic.
Phase 2
Once cooked, drain and blend, then add a few tablespoons of cooking water until a moderately dense cream is obtained.
Phase 3
Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan, add the chopped capers and the chopped pink pepper using your hands and, finally, add the finely grated citrus peel, making sure not to scratch the white part to avoid ruining the final result as this would give it a bitter taste. When dishing it out, if the cream is slightly dry, add a few ladles of the water you used to cook the pasta.
Phase 4
Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the cooking time specified on the package, drain the pasta ā€œal denteā€ and put it in a bowl with one or two tablespoons of olive oil, then dish it out.

For plating

Use a spoon to spread the cream unevenly on the plate and, using tongs, place the pasta with an irregular pattern and garnish with a few tufts of dill and the dried citrus fruits. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to taste.
Login